See Also: shorten(medicine)
shorten(dictionary)
shorten(dictionary)
Shorten - General(gambling)

shorten (iou)



shorten verb. ME.
[from SHORT adjective + -EN5.]
verb trans. Make shorter, diminish the length or duration of; abridge, contract, curtail. ME.
J. Galsworthy He was going to shorten the proposed two months into six weeks. J. Rhys I've had my fur coat shortened. S. Terkel Driving a cab tends to shorten your life span.
b. Make (time, a journey, etc.) appear shorter by conversation or amusement. L16.
c. Diminish in working length; spec. hold (a weapon etc.) nearer to the middle so as to deliver a more effective blow or thrust. L16.
d. Phonetics & Prosody. Diminish the duration or stress of (a vowel or syllable). L16.
e. Diminish in number or quantity. L16-E17.
f. Horticulture. Cut back in pruning. E18.
g. Clip (coinage). rare. M19.
verb intrans. Grow shorter; diminish in length or duration. Orig. spec. of breathing: become shorter or more difficult. ME.
Amateur Gardening Natural light is important as the days shorten. M. Warner Talia felt her steps shorten.
b. verb trans. & intrans. Of gambling odds, prices: become or make lower; decrease. L19.
verb trans.
a. Hold in check, restrain. L16-E18.
b. Render (an intention) ineffectual. rare (Shakes.). Only in E17.
c. Keep from the attainment of. rare. M19.
verb trans. Cause to go short, supply insufficiently. Foll. by of, in. L16-E17.
verb trans. Make crumbly or friable. M18.
verb trans. Begin to dress (a baby) in short clothes. arch. L19.
verb intrans. Esp. of a horse: shorten the stride. Also foll. by up. L20.
Phrases: shorten in Nautical heave in (an anchor cable) so that a shorter length remains overboard. shorten one's grip: see GRIP noun1. shorten one's stride: see STRIDE noun 1a. shorten sail(s) Nautical take in some of the sails of a vessel in order to slacken speed. shorten the arm of, shorten the hand of (in biblical and derived uses) limit the power of.
shortened adjective made shorter, short L16.
shortener noun M16.